


Shedding.

by AGreySunset



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: A little, Comfort, Drabble, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oneshot, Roman is a good boyfriend, Roman is a himbo, Shedding, This is one of those "deciets boyfriend helps him shed" fics, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, virgil and deceit are friends bc i said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24936043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGreySunset/pseuds/AGreySunset
Summary: When Janus is late to breakfast, Roman goes looking for his boyfriend.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders
Comments: 6
Kudos: 147





	Shedding.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FandomHellfire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomHellfire/gifts).



> Hey, as far as warnings go, I can only think of a couple, but let me know if I missed anything.
> 
> (Mild) Body Horror (describing Janus' scales and him shedding).  
> Food and Drink (discussed and mentioned multiple times).  
> Nausea (briefly mentioned)  
> Bathing Someone Else (platonically, only mentioned)  
> Death/Illness/Sickness (Roman assumes Janus is dying or sick, based off appearances. He is not.)  
> Being Restrained (Remus makes a joke about being tied up for a long time)  
> Self Harm (Remus makes a joke about Roman peeling his skin off).

Roman’s always incredibly sluggish in the morning, but he does an alright job making breakfast. Usually Roman would never stand for just _alright _, but he’ll make an exception when it’s just pancakes shared between him and Janus.__

__He had been very nervous making food when Janus first started eating in the light side. He knew Remus and Virgil both had dietary restrictions because of their animal traits, but Deceit had never been very forthcoming about his reptile aspects, even when they were children. How did he approach it? He didn’t want his crush to perceive him as rude or prying._ _

__After a very awkward encounter on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Roman learned what foods Janus couldn’t eat._ _

__"Let me see, it’s kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and romaine lettuce that I can’t eat."_ _

__“Just those?” That was pretty simple. Roman could remember that._ _

__Deceit had leaned down, brushing his fingers on Roman’s _cheek. “Just that. Hope it’s not bothersome.” _____

____Roman shivers at the memory._ _ _ _

____He still remembers their first date._ _ _ _

____He had tried to appeal to Deceit’s aesthetic by making a classy, jazz club from the 1920s in the Imagination and then inviting him to dinner there. The club hadn’t turned out quite right, but all of Roman’s self-doubt left him as he saw Deceit in a stunning black, backless dress with a noticeable slit. It was tight, clearly fitted, and had an art deco pattern on it in gold._ _ _ _

____Roman had stuttered his way through the evening but showed up in a crimson ball gown to their next date. Two could play at that game._ _ _ _

____Roman glances through the kitchen door. Virgil had walked in here earlier, made not one, not two, but a jaw-dropping _three _cups of coffee, and left after promising to be back for pancakes, but he hadn’t seen anyone else. Most of the sides didn't come to the kitchen until breakfast was done, but Janus was always here almost immediately after Roman arrived. They gently flirted, and Roman was usually out-done by Janus due to his boyfriend being atrociously enthusiastic in the morning.___ _ _ _

______After Roman finishes the last of the stack of pancakes, he decides to see what made Janus thirty minutes late. He wipes off the counter before leaving because only a peasant left a mess behind._ _ _ _ _ _

______His boyfriend’s room is right across from Remus’, which is why they often spend nights together in the imagination rather than either of their rooms. He had been quite surprised when he first saw Janus’ room, the pastel yellow and green with a gold chandelier and black highlights, it was so well put together. He has every iteration of his boyfriend's room saved in the imagination, every time he adds or removes a poster, or changes the trim, or even repaints the walls._ _ _ _ _ _

______Janus isn’t in the dark side's living room, and the hallway is clear. When he walks up to Remus’ door though, he hears three voices talking in there. Who else is in there though?_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Janus dear, I haven't seen you all morning. Are you quite alright, sunflower?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The voices beyond the door stop talking abruptly, and then one familiar voice responds, “I’m fine dear, but I might be late to breakfast.” Roman isn’t sure if Janus is lying, but he feels concerned either way._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Why, love? Are you feeling nauseous?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Oh, no reason- I mean, uh, I have something to tell you?”_ _ _ _ _ _

_______Concern _bubbles hot in Roman’s stomach. “Can I come in love?”__ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“... Yes.” Roman opens the door slowly and glances around the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The room itself is the same as the last time he saw it, a pale yellow with one white wall, green trim, covered in musical posters. Old-timey candles with holders litter the room, and his window and curtains are open, bathing the whole thing in sunlight. Three coffee cups are left on Janus’ nightstand, undoubtedly from earlier._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Remus sits on the edge of Janus’ bed farthest from Roman, and he has Janus’ feet in his lap. Of course, he does. He’s in his normal outfit, despite that the room is even hotter and more humid than normal._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The third mysterious voice he had heard outside was Virgil, who sits at Janus’ side with a roll of paper towels and a bowl of water. He’s in his purple t-shirt, hoodie thrown on the floor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Finally, Janus glances over at him, and Roman gasps at his boyfriend's ghostly appearance._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________His scales are dull, a pale lime green, and sag off his face. His right eye is a milky white, and he looks _exhausted _. He looks _haunted _and sad, and Roman feels the immediate need to fix this, to _save _him, and then shower his boyfriend in affection until he looks less like he's on his _deathbed! ___________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Love, oh my god! What’s wrong, are you d-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I’m shedding.” Janus interrupts before Roman can get another word out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Oh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He hadn't thought about that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He knew what temperature and humidity Janus preferred; he knew what foods he couldn't eat, how he could tease him, and what was too far, but he didn’t know anything about this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Did it hurt? Did he need help, or just comfort? How long did it take? Did he need more water like you do when you’re sick? Did he sleep through it? Is that why he’s been so tired this last week?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Through all these thoughts, the only thing that passes through his lips is, “Oh.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Virgil glances up at him before muttering, “we’re helping him.” He lifts the paper towels as if that answers any of Roman’s questions._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“... Can I?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Remus immediately sits up. “Can you shed? Yes, take a potato peeler and-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“No, can I help?” Roman watches the others glance at each other._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He understands their hesitation. He’s a light side. The light sides abandoned them, and all these methods of comfort and help they offered each other they had performed alone, locked away for years._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________But they all start nodding, and Virgil gestures him over, digging one of the paper towels in the water and handing it to Roman._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Once it’s, um, damp you just drag it over his scales gently. It takes a bit, and after this step, he, uh, he takes a bath and we help him, and we just repeat those steps until it all comes off. Y-you can tell when the old scales are off because the stuff underneath will be really vivid.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“You also have to help Sir Slithers eat and walk around and stuff -all the sort of stuff you’d have to do to help someone who’s muscles had atrophied for months in a basement 'cause he's so tired," Remus added, leaning over to pet Janus’ hair._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Okay, I think I can do all that.” He sits next to Virgil, kissing Janus’ forehead before bringing Janus’ head into his lap, careful not to shift him away from the heat lamp._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I know you can love,” Janus responds, bringing his hand up to brush his fingers against Roman’s cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Huuuuge shoutout to FandomHellfire on ao3 and @queen-of-all-things-snuggly/@creepie-cookie on tumblr for helping me with this oneshot.  
> My tumblr is @noon-shadows, and my sanders sides side blog is @croutons-or-bath-bombs


End file.
